Wednesday, August 15, 2007

A quick pointer to an excellent post by Chris Boyd which, while pointing to some recent contemplations in the blogosphere (including Ming-Zhu's wonderful search for theatrical orgasm), discusses the "all-too-regular ... 'bannings' and attempts at manipulating or silencing critics". Well, friction goes with the job: if you want to be liked, don't take up criticism, because the knives will be lining up. But there are times, as Chris notes, when friction morphs into something more sinister. As can be seen here with our young friend at Esoteric Rabbit, Matt Clayfield. Worth a gecko.

4 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Are you able to talk about the time you were banned by Playbox? What was the reason, and how are things now between you and Malthouse (formerly Playbox)? I feel like I missed something that may have happened because of Sleeping Beauty, but from what I can tell you were quite positive about it.

Whenever I think of the Playbox stoush, a quotation from Marlowe jumps into my head: "But that was in another country; and besides, the wench is dead". It was a long time ago, and the Malthouse now - a company which invites and welcomes dialogue and response - is an entirely different rabbit to the Playbox in 1991, which reacted with marked hostility to negative critique. It was new, it felt vulnerable, etc etc, but that was no excuse for it.

In 1997, I did in fact write an essay about that time, which is on this blog here. The essay has a certain residue of disillusion and anger that I no longer feel.

As far as I'm concerned, it's an issue that has long dessicated into history. (15 years is a long time: my youngest son just got taller than I am, and he wasn't even born then.) Though I begin to realise that it's not the case, it seems, for everyone. I'd say that's their problem.